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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · wave · bowl · season · rest · racket · perch · pit

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. perch — the fish
  5. season — in sport
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rest — a break
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. season — of the year
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com